Brooklyn Carter
by spikeyhairgood
Summary: Partner story with Words. Simon Lewis and Isabelle Lightwood are the stars of a new TV show. Simon has the role of his career as a Brooklyn boy with a secret, and Isabelle plays an elitist best friend, bringing her usual roles to a completely different direction.
1. Brooklyn, We Go Hard

**Summary:** Partner story with Words. Simon Lewis and Isabelle Lightwood are the stars of a new TV show. Simon has the role of his career as a Brooklyn boy with a secret, and Isabelle plays an elitist best friend, bringing her usual roles in a completely different direction.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Simon and Isabelle but I do own the characters that they are portraying, and the story they are acting in.

* * *

Hello! **If you're reading this because you read my other story _Words_,** and were interested in reading the episode that aired at the end of the second chapter, here it is.

**If you're reading this and haven't read_ Words_, **I'm happy you were interested enough to check this out! I do have to explain though, if you haven't read _Words_ because this whole story is connected to it. So, in this story, **Simon and Isabelle have completely different names—they are Carter and Katie.** They will have these names for the whole story, and the reasoning is because the chapters in these stories are episodes that are "airing" in my other story _Words_, which explains the partnership. This won't always be updated as much as the other story, just because I'll only update it if there's an episode airing. I hope that makes sense, and you guys are still interested enough to read along :)

If there's any confusion about this, just mention it in a review, and I'll try my best to explain.

**So the chapters will have songs in them, because like every TV show, there is background music.** They may or not pertain to exactly what is going on, but usually I'll add songs in because it relates to the characters, or it just sounds badass in the scenes. Like the song for the last part of this episode/chapter. I'll be calling them 'episodes' for the most part. Okay, so the songs used in this chapter are:

**Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin'** \- **Mayer Hawthorne**

**Riptide (Cover)** \- **Taylor Swift**

**Brooklyn - Mos Def** (Only 0:00 to 2:07)

**Brooklyn (Go Hard) - Jay-Z** (Into the credits of the episode)

_Another A/N at the end!_

* * *

"Ma, I'm leaving!" Carter screamed in the direction of the stairs before closing the door behind him.

He took a bite from the strawberry donut he had in his hands and looked around to see if anyone was going to judge him for the sprinkles on top of the light pink frosting. He walked down the three steps from his stoop and made a right towards the subway. He dug through his khaki pants' back pocket and pulled out his iPod, with the headphones all tangled together.

Carter untangled them with ease, sticking the buds into his ear as he jogged down the steps leading down. He pressed play and the music began, officially starting off his day.

_The way you move your hips_

_When you're struttin' down the street_

_Oh it makes a mess_

_Oh we bend the knees_

_Lipstick on your lips_

_When you say those words so sweet_

_Oh have mercy darlin'_

_I'm beggin' you please_

He pulled out his MetroCard and swiped, running into the train. He went on the same train every day for the past three years, since he started going to Loyola.

_When we're all alone girl_

_And there's no one else in sight_

_And I'm holdin' you so tight_

_And so true_

_Well then you pull away girl_

_Just when I think that I'm home_

_And you leave me all alone_

_And I'm feeling so blue, well_

Carter sat the edge of a row and looked to his left at the mark he drew on the handrail above him. He leaned his head back, slouched a little, and closed his eyes. Since he lived so far from the elite school on the Upper East Side, Carter knew he could sleep alongside the business men and women who made their way from Brooklyn into Manhattan.

_Your easy lovin' ain't pleasin' nothin'_

_Baby, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_Forget teasing, loving_

_I need that tender loving_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_Come on_

* * *

Carter's eyes snapped open when the conductor announced the stop before his. He sat up and looked down at his lap for a moment as his mind caught up. He was always fascinated how New Yorkers could tell, even in their deepest sleep, that their stop was next. It was a rite of passage, really.

Carter stood up, slipping his way past the now full train. His school was just a few blocks away, but of course, since he lived so far from it, he was running late. Even though he woke up an hour before anyone in the school did.

He ran up the steps, arranging his blue jacket. He could always feel the crest of the school against the left side of his chest. It wasn't that it was heavy or anything. Maybe just heavy with the burden of expectation. Or maybe it was because he and everyone else in the school knew he didn't belong.

Running down the hall and stuffing his iPod in his pocket, Carter grabbed a brown paper bag from behind him in this backpack and held his other hand out as someone held open their homeroom door.

"Cutting it close today, Mr. Alessi," Ms. Amoretto told him with a smile. He was late every day. This was a fact. And, in return, Ms. Amoretto said this to him every single day. It was tradition at this point.

Right when Carter stepped into the room, the bell rang and the door was shut as he made his way to his seat. He dropped the brown paper bag on the desk beside his and sat down in his seat.

He looked over at the girl with black hair and striking blue eyes as she dug into the bag and pulled out a Strawberry frosted donut—with rainbow sprinkles, of course.

"Thanks, Carter."

He breathed deeply as he leaned back into his seat. "No problem, Katie."

She took a bite into her donut. "You'd think that doing this every day would help with your asthma and ability to run without having to breathe like a Pug."

Carter side-eyed her, and she grinned. "Yeah, yeah, Nolan. Good morning. Tomorrow you'll have no sprinkles."

Katie frowned and sat forward, while Carter smirked.

* * *

_I was scared of dentists and the dark_

_I was scared of pretty girls and starting conversations_

_Oh, all my friends are turning green_

_You're the magician's assistant in their dream_

_Oh, and they come unstuck_

_Lady, running down to the riptide_

_Taken away to the dark side_

_I wanna be your left hand man_

_I love you when you're singing that song_

_And I got a lump in my throat_

_'Cause you're gonna sing the words wrong_

Carter looked over at Katie. The two were sitting on a bench as the whole school flooded out and entered their long black service cars that only paid drivers had.

"Piano today?" he asked while she took the headphone out of her ear. Carter took his out too, putting it away in his pocket.

"Yeah, and a gala," Katie replied, and looked over to see Carter smirking. "Go ahead and laugh. It _is_ the third one this month."

"And it's only the 10th," Carter mumbled, amused.

"I know," Katie huffed. "What about you? Work?" Carter nodded. "I wish I could work."

Carter rolled his eyes. "No, Katie. You don't."

"I do," Katie said quietly.

"You say that every time."

"And I mean it," she answered, and he looked over at her.

He sat up straight. "Well, one day, you will. And you'll create your own grand life with that money you earn."

Katie gave a big nod. "Damn straight." He laughed. "And that is why we became friends."

Carter glanced at Katie. He had said it before. _You don't belong in this school. You're so different from them_. And she replied in the same fashion every time.

"Call me later," Carter said, standing up. "After the gala, of course."

"Or during it," Katie replied, and stood up too. They walked towards the entrance of the school. "Later, Alessi."

"Later, Nolan," Carter said with a wave as Katie turned right, towards her car. The driver opened up the door for her, and she waved back. Carter turned around, stuffing his hands in his pockets and walking back towards the subway.

* * *

_Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner_

_Sometimes I feel like my only friend_

_Is the city I live in, is beautiful Brooklyn_

_Long as I live here believe I'm on fire hey_

Carter walked up the steps and into the fresh air. He and the whole city waited for the first real cold weather day, but, until then, they all enjoyed the fall weather.

_Cuz it's the B-the-R-the-O-the-O-K_

_L-Y-N is the place where I stay_

_The B-the-R-the-O-the-O-K_

_Best in the world and all USA_

_It's the B-to-the-R-the-O-the-O-K_

_L-Y-N is the place where I stay_

_The B-to-the-R-the-O-the-O-K_

_Place where I rest is on my born day_

Carter walked his usual route. He had work almost every week day, even though it never really felt like he was off, or not on the job, since they called him in whenever they wanted. It wasn't always for work, though. Sometimes it was just for dinner, to which he brought his mom along with him.

He replayed the song as he opened the door to the restaurant. The familiar smell of garlic, tomato sauce, and cheese filled his nostrils, and his stomach immediately growled. He put a hand in the air as a hello at the cooks on the other side of counters as he walked through the Italian restaurant. They replied by saying his name, and Carter walked through to the back, giving a friendly smile to those sitting in the booths, enjoying their lunch.

Carter pulled the green velvet curtain to the side and stepped through to the back of the restaurant. They were two large dining tables, and three booths to his right side. He sat in his normal booth, the one in the corner farthest from the entrance and closest to the kitchen, and threw his bag onto the seat.

"How was school?" one of them asked, not taking his gaze off the cards he had in front of his face.

"Yeah, getting them good grades, Cartier?" another asked, grinning at him toothily as he used one of Carter's nicknames. The brand of fancy jewelry wasn't Carter's favorite.

"Good," Carter replied.

"Good?" another asked with a cigar in his mouth. "Just good? Better be amazing for what we pay for you to go to _that_ school."

Carter resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"That _you_ pay for?" the one with the cards asked, and then turned around to smile at Carter. It comforted him. Johnny's smile always did. "Just do what you can, Carter. We're proud of you either way."

"Yeah, ignore Joseph. He never had any schooling anyway." Ray, the one with the toothy grin, said this before raising his eyebrows at Joseph.

"Yeah, whatever," Joseph muttered as Carter laughed lowly, pulling out a brown leather notebook.

"No," Johnny said firmly. Carter looked up. "Finish your homework first, and then you can get to work." Carter gave a nod and pulled out his books.

He looked up when two pepperoni pizzas were placed in front of him with three garlic knots. Carter winked. "You're the best, Nicky." Nicky, one of the cooks, winked back, and then left without a word.

* * *

"Make it quick. It's already late, and Carter has school in the morning," Johnny instructed, handing Ray a ripped up piece of paper with words scribbled on it.

"If he has the money?" Ray asked.

"Let him go," Johnny replied with a shrug.

"And if he doesn't?" Joseph asked, smirking.

Johnny broke that smirk with a slap on the back of his head. "Stop being cute. You're not. Now _go_."

Carter watched from the back seat as Johnny went back into the restaurant, but not without turning back to give him a nod.

Carter returned it, and Ray drove off.

"Look, Carter," the man said, standing in front of Carter, each of his arms held by Joseph and Ray. "Tell Johnny I need one more week. Just one more, alright? I mean it this time."

Carter shook his head, closing the leather notebook. "Sorry, Manny. I really can't. I helped you out last time. I told you I can't talk you up to him for another."

"Carter—"

_Brooklyn, Brooklyn, Brooklyn we go hard_

"Manny," Carter said, looking up to make eye contact with him. They held it for a moment. "I'm sorry."

_Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard_

_Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard_

_Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard_

_Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard_

Carter looked away as Manny's eyes filled with anger and he began yelling obscenities at him. He turned around, walking away with his expression unfazed as he could hear Manny's groans, and the blows of Joseph and Ray.

_Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard_

_Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard_

_Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard_

_Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard_

Carter turned around and leaned back against the side of the car, watching from a distance as Ray and Joseph went to work.

* * *

**A/N:** Simon/Carter is so badass, and I really LOVE writing him in this. I hope you guys enjoyed this, because I'm having so much fun writing it. Way too much fun. It's a little embarrassing.

**Let me know what you guys think!** I'd love to know what you guys think of this episode, and the partnership with _Words_. It's definitely different from anything of done, and it's more work than just a regular story, but I don't even mind.** Please leave me some reviews, feedback &amp; inspiration :)**

Also,** my DLF loves, **you're getting an update next!

Shout out to **rippingbutterflywings** for beta'ing this, for being so supportive of this whole idea, and just being overall amazing. Thank you, my dear CH Clary!


	2. The Alessi Family

**A/N:** Hii! It's been over a month since I've posted an episode of _Brooklyn Carter_ but it's finally time in _Words_ so here it is :)

The only song used in this chapter is:

**Sad Dream by Sky Ferreira**

* * *

"Carter!"

With the left side of his face sunk into his pillow, Carter opened only one eye to look at the door. The muffled voice of his mother, Carol, was coming closer each time she called him. She opened the door and raised an eyebrow at him.

"You not going to school today?" Her Italian accent was thick, and made her sound sassier than she already was. Which was infinitely sassy.

Carter darted his eyes to look at the clock—he was running twenty minutes late. It may not have seemed like too much time, but every minute counted on his morning commute into the city due to train schedules. And this was going to definitely make him miss half, or possibly all, of homeroom. He pushed himself off the bed and almost fell onto the floor. He reached for his uniform while his mom watched him rush, her eyebrow still arched. "Son of a—"

"Don't you dare, Carter."

Carter groaned, throwing his shirt on.

"Hey, tell Johnny and the guys to come over for dinner," she told him, and he looked at her when his head popped out from his shirt. "I'm makin' pasta, and I haven't seen them in a while."

"Yeah, I'll tell 'em." He grabbed the rest of his clothes, kissed his mother on the cheek, and almost tripped on his way into his bathroom. She rolled his eyes at him.

"Have a good day at work!" he yelled through the door while she passed by, and she tilted her head down, smiling.

* * *

Carter stared at his leg; it was restlessly bouncing up and down the whole ride on the subway. He hated days when he was _this_ late. He hated that if kids in his school woke up twenty minutes late, it just meant they had to eat their breakfast on the go rather than their _staff_ serving it to them in bed. He hated that any wrong move always proved the kids in his school right—that he didn't belong there. Carter was so annoyed with himself, and in general, that he didn't even take out his iPod to listen to music. He also got cursed out by anyone in his way when he ran from the subway station to his school.

Out of breath and slightly shaking as he tried to dig through his pocket for his inhaler, Carter pulled the school doors open, his shoes squeaking in the hallway as he made it towards his homeroom. He looked at his watch, scoffed, and threw his bag against the lockers. He slammed his back against them and slid down, his knees up when he sat on the ground. He shook his inhaler, took two pumps, and then the bell rang. He breathed heavily when the kids from his homeroom began to file out, giving him looks on their way to their first class. Finally, he made eye contact with Katie, who was already searching for his face through the crowd of the hallway. She walked over, and he looked up at her.

"No doughnuts today."

Despite her efforts not to, she smiled and held out her hand, while her other arm held all her books. "Come on. Don't wanna be late for our first class too."

Carter gave a hearty laugh.

"Too soon?"

He took her hand and she pulled him up. "Too soon."

When he stood up, he towered over her, but she kept their eye contact. "I don't take it back."

Carter rolled his eyes, reaching for his backpack on the floor.

"Mr. Alessi." He turned around and found Ms. Amoretto standing at the homeroom door. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Uh." Carter looked at Katie. "I have—"

"I've give you a pass," she interrupted him. He nodded, knowing it must have been a little serious. He gave a nod to Katie, who was already walking towards another class.

Carter walked past his homeroom teacher, and she closed the door behind him. He sat at the desk in front of hers and inclined his head.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, unable to look at her. "I know these late days put me at risk."

Ms. Amoretto sat in her desk and put her head in her hands. "It doesn't matter how long you've been here, Carter. Whenever you're late enough to miss homeroom, they question my judgement in letting you in."

Carter looked up now. He nodded. Him and Ms. Amoretto only had this conversation a few times. But a few times was enough for him to feel bad for the one who got him into this school. The one who helped her own family by getting him into this school. Getting him in erased all their debts forever.

"Yeah. I'm sorry. I—"

"Are you alright?" she asked him.

Carter furrowed his eyebrows. "Yeah, I'm alright. Why?"

"I heard something." She made eye contact with him. "Somethin' 'bout Manny Sintini." In response, Carter leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. "Is that why you're running late today? Because you were a part of that last night?"

"Ms. Amoretto," he whispered. "You know I can't…"

"I know. I'm sorry I asked," she replied immediately. "Look, Carter. I just wanted to warn you. There was talk about it around the neighborhood when I was leaving this morning."

"I'll let Johnny know." He put a backpack strap over his right shoulder when the bell rang.

"Okay, good." She began to scribble something on a piece of paper, and then handed it to him.

He gave a nod and turned around, stopping before he opened the door. "Thanks for always lookin' out, Ms. Amoretto."

He looked over his shoulder at her. She held her hands together. "You're a good kid, Carter. I wish you didn't have to do this."

Carter glanced at the floor for a moment before making eye contact with her. "Yeah, me too."

* * *

_Poured myself a warm glass, and laid awake_

_I prayed the lord my soul to take_

_I thought about you all day, how we have the same face_

_I fell asleep so confused, parts of me remind me of you_

_How could I ever wish away?_

"It's been a while since you've missed homeroom," Katie pointed out while she and Carter sat beside each other on the steps of The Met. "Was Ms. Amoretto really mad?"

Carter swallowed the hot dog he was eating, since he didn't bring his lunch. "No. She just…" He shrugged. "She was just making sure I'm not gonna need to be talked to or anything."

Katie smiled to herself. "You're her favorite."

"Yeah, well, she's _my_ favorite."

_Only ever in dreams I wrap my arms around you._

_And standing in the water with me,_

_I can tell you what I wanna tell you._

_And I hope it's not just a bad dream,_

_Hope it's not just a sad dream_

Katie didn't respond, but continued eating the "healthy" lunches her mother packed for her every morning. They usually contained tasteless things and parfaits. Katie hated it, but always declined to have Carter buy something for her, because she was convinced her mother had a radar for whenever Katie ate anything relatively unhealthy.

The two listened to music while they continued to eat in their usual comfortable silence. Katie sat on the left, the right earbud in her ear, while Carter sat to her right, the left one in his.

_I wake up and I hear my phone ring,_

_I hear your call and I let my phone ring_

_When I got into my car and drove away,_

_I listened to the stereo play_

_I live by my own laws,_

_I stick to my guns and hold my head up to midnight sun_

_I hope the guilt will dim and fade,_

_The fire baptism engulfed in my shame_

He nudged her elbow with his. She looked up, and he looked at her from the side, taking a bite of his food. "How was the gala?"

"Mundane. As usual." Katie shrugged. "Luckily, I didn't know anyone, so I had the pleasure of sitting alone."

Carter chuckled, shaking his head. "My favorite anti-social socialite."

"I may be the only one, but I'll take it."

_Only ever in dreams I wrap my arms around you._

_And standing in the water with me,_

_I can tell you what I wanna tell you._

_And I hope it's not just a bad dream,_

_Hope it's not just a sad dream_

She laughed, and Carter glanced at her. He could never grasp the concept—and fact—that _this_ girl was his best friend. And that it was her choice to be.

Carter could never understand why she befriended him, and why she refused to be friendly to anyone else. She chose him that first day of high school and didn't look any further for company. Carter figured he could make it through his year high school years bullied, but relatively unharmed. But she sat next to him in homeroom and had been in that same seat for the last three years. She never failed to be kind. She continued to be fierce when challenged or ridiculed. And she always dreamed for a life that didn't include vanity and a false world.

He didn't know what he could've done in a past life to earn the friendship of Katherine Nolan. He knew for damn sure that he hadn't done anything in his current life for it.

* * *

Carter reached for his phone once he got out of his subway stop, texting Johnny and the guys that dinner would be at eight. He started to speed-walk, knowing his mom would need help making dinner. She always wanted to have a good meal set up for Johnny—she loved him like a son. Because, in her eyes, Johnny was protecting her son when no one else was there to help her do it.

Johnny was an older brother to him. Even Joseph and Ray. Anybody in that restaurant was. Hell, his entire social life was only with them before Katie came around. That, and grandmothers that always ended up loving him at the restaurant when he was a young cook and waiter.

Johnny was there to pick up the pieces when Carter's father, Fred, was killed on a job. Fred was the eldest of the group and like the little brother of Johnny's father. So, when Johnny's father passed, Fred took the reigns.

Which was what Johnny had to do when Fred was murdered. He may have been the youngest, but Johnny was doing jobs as long as Carter could remember.

And Johnny loved Carter and Carol. He was his brother, and she was like his second mother. When Carol was left to mourn her husband angry at those who took his life, and overwhelmed because she had to raise Carter on his own, Johnny immediately took him in at the restaurant. It was when Carter was ten that he began to figure out the books for the restaurant. And then, when Johnny felt he was ready, he became the official bookie. For everything.

Carol hated it. But she also didn't have much say. They were indebted to Johnny, and she knew that Carter would be protected.

"Ma!" Carter yelled, throwing his backpack on the couch. "You need help?"

He made his way to the kitchen, and he could feel the heat of the cooking immediately.

"Make the sauce for me, Carter." Carol didn't take her eyes off the pasta she was making from scratch.

Carter went to wash his hands and grabbed an apron that said "Mom's Little Chef" on it. He grabbed a cutting board, a knife, and tomatoes, and then sat at the kitchen table, looking up at the daytime soap his mom watched every day.

* * *

"This sauce is delicious, Ms. Alessi," Ray said, scooping it up to pour onto his spaghetti.

"Thank you, Ray, but Carter made that." Carol nudged Carter as she walked past him to the sink.

Joseph looked up, and Carter looked down at him when he did this. "You made this, Cartier? It's real good."

Carter rolled his eyes when Joseph turned around, and Johnny chuckled to himself.

"We made chocolate cake and cannolis for dessert." Carol held up the large plates, displaying them when she took them out of the fridge. The boys whooped and Carter laughed, turning away. He opened the trash, pulling up the strings.

"I'll take this out," he told his mom, and she squeezed his shoulder.

"I've got the best son in all of Brooklyn."

Carter tied them up. "In Brooklyn? That's it? There's some brats out there, Ma."

She laughed, throwing her head back as she brought the desserts to the table.

He looked over his shoulder, watching them enjoy food and company, before he pushed open the screen door. He walked down a couple steps, kicking the top of the garage can off, which clattered to the ground. He dropped the bag in and bent to pick up the cover. His eyes got wide as he saw a pair of Converse right in front of him. He stood up, holding the cover out for protection. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"What the hell, Mikey? You scared me, standing in the shadows like that. What's wrong with you?" He dropped the cover, and the metal clanged.

"Manny's in the hospital. You know that?" Mikey's jaw clenched, and Carter looked down. For a moment, he almost forgot what reality was. "Oh, 'course you know. You called to tell me where to find him." He chuckled. "Although you did forget to mention that it was you who did it."

Carter looked up, shaking his head. In front of him was the only friend he had as a kid. Until Carter became fully involved in the bookie business, and Mikey's older brother was a constant customer, who always owed money.

"Mikey—"

"Don't, Carter. I'm not here to exchange pleasantries with you, or to hear that you _had_ to do it." Mikey crossed his arms.

Carter raised an eyebrow. "What you here for, then?"

Mikey smirked, and Carter knew that look. It was never anything good.

"You."

Carter took a step back and felt a hand wrap around his mouth. He knew the moment Mikey smirked that this would happen, but panic filled his mind, and he struggled for air. He wanted to scream, but the hand was held against his mouth so tightly that he could barely hear his own muffled cries for help. Instantly, Carter's view went completely dark when a black bag was thrown and tied over his head.

* * *

**A/N:** Carter Alessi, you have my love. Also, Katie &amp; Carter forever. How did you guys like it?! I know the ending is such a cliffhanger but what is a television episode without one? Let me know what you guys think! I'd love to know if you guys like this whole idea, and the story so far. **Reviews and feedback, please :)**

Shout out to **rippingbutterflywings** and **cfire27 **for your reviews! Thank you to anybody who favorited and alerted, and just thanks to anyone who read the first chapter. You are all wonderful.

Shout out to** rippingbutterflywings **(again) for being a wonderful beta. Thank you for enjoying the characters as much as I do, and supporting me through the writing. Tomato emoji's for you, CH Clary.


	3. Carter

**A/N:** Helloo. I'll get right to it with this BC chapters just because these take forever to get up because the Words chapter have to happen first. I hope you like it!

* * *

Katie reached for an extra parfait in the fridge. She didn't eat dinner the night before because she got caught up with homework. When she turned around, the fridge shutting behind her, she was met with the harsh glare of her mother, who was staring at her food.

"Two parfaits today?"

Katie resisted the urge to roll her eyes so hard that they got stuck up there. "Yeah, I didn't eat dinner last night. I'm gonna have this in the car." She reached for her bag on the other side of the counter, and her mother put a hand on hers gently. She shot her mother a look, and her mother raised an eyebrow. Katie sighed. She couldn't help it when her mother was so ridiculous.

"You know that green dress for the gala next month needs you to maintain your figure. There will be a lot of important people at that gala," her mother told her kindly, but there was nothing kind behind her words.

"Yes, _Mommie_." Katie almost smiled when her mother tried to cover a flinch. She hated when Katie called her that. She said that she wasn't the mother in Mommie Dearest, but Katie sometimes thought otherwise.

"Well, then," Katie's mom said, cracking her neck to push pass through their moment. "Go meet Grant downstairs; he's waiting for you. Don't want to be late for school."

Katie flashed a fake smile at her mother and walked away, shaking her head while she full-on grinned. She stepped out of the elevator when she reached the ground floor, and, as always, Grant was at the front door waiting for her.

"Good morning, Miss Nolan."

"Good morning, Grant," Katie returned. He reached out to hold her backpack for her, and she pulled her arm back. He chuckled and shook his head. "Come on, Katie. You know your mother would throw a fit if I didn't carry your bag."

Katie rolled her eyes freely now. "Oh, God forbid I carry my own."

"Exactly," Grant responded, and she handed it over to him. They walked past the doorman, the car already waiting in the front.

"I got two parfaits today," Katie stated when Grant opened the door.

"Ooo." Katie laughed as she got into the car. "Scandalous Katie Nolan."

"That's me!" She sat down, almost falling over.

"That's _definitely_ you."

Grant smiled to himself as he closed her door, shaking his head and trying his hardest to conceal his smile.

* * *

Johnny stared at the front door. For some reason, he could imagine Carter just walking through it. He could hear Carter saying that he left to get away for a night, or that the people that took him just let him go. It might have been one of the stupidest things Johnny imagined. Ever. Because Carter did not just go on a stroll that kept him out all night, making Ms. Alessi cry throughout the night and slap Johnny in the face every few hours because of it. Carter was not going to just be _let go_.

Carter was taken. And Johnny didn't even know where to start.

Usually he would be on top of it—he would get a search going on, find some information out from the neighborhood. And he would feel _in control_ while doing it. He did not, however, feel that way with Carter's disappearance.

As much as he hated to admit it, Carter meant much more to him than just another in the group. He wasn't just someone he could detach his attachment from. Carter was his _brother_. Ms. Alessi was his stand-in mom. The Alessis were his family—all because Carter's father took the chance to care about him. When he died, he knew that this family would be as protected as his own.

He would have had Carter do anything else but be their bookie. Carter was meant for more. He knew that; anyone did. That's _why_ he had Carter do the books. That's why he used it as an excuse to get Carter into the elitist school. But, as the years passed, everyone else became suspicious of his favoritism of Carter and saw it as his weakness. So Johnny had to stop. He had to show that everyone meant the same to him, which meant that they all didn't mean anything to him. At least to the eyes of the ones who worked for him.

As much as Johnny could play along with the notion, he knew Carter meant more. Carter _was_ more than all of them combined.

And now he was gone.

Johnny shook his head. He kept trying to shake off the memory from the night before. Ms. Alessi went out to find out what was taking Carter so long. When she screamed out his name, they all rushed out and saw that she was standing in front of the trash. The lid was on the ground—right beside Carter's glasses. Dread filled him to the brim, and even though that may have been the only clue, they all knew. Carter was gone. And they had no idea who could have taken him.

* * *

Katie looked around. She checked her watch, and her heart was racing. Carter wasn't at homeroom for the second day in a row, and _that_ was something to worry about. Carter may have been late every day, but he was never absent for homeroom two days in a row. She knew Carter's delicate status at the school. All the other students could fuck up as much as possible, but not Carter. He was helped to get in by Ms. Amoretto, and whatever move he had in school was monitored. If his grades slipped just enough, he could get kicked out. It was if the administration waiting for him to mess up for that sole reason. So being absent from homeroom two days in a row—_that_ worried Katie. Carter would never risk it. Which meant Carter was not okay.

Once the bell rang, Katie shoved her way past the other students and went straight to the front.

"Ms. Amoretto," Katie said, a little breathless. Her heart was going miles per minute, and there was an awful feeling dread in her veins.

Her teacher looked around and stood up when all the kids left. "Katie—"

"Please don't mark Carter down as absent. _Please_."

Ms. Amoretto looked at her sadly. It was an unspoken goal between them, to keep Carter in school and make sure he did his best. They wanted him there. They saw that he could succeed. They saw that he was worthy, more than many others, to be in this school.

"Carter's gonna be absent the whole day, Katie."

Katie looked down. She couldn't hide her shock at what Ms. Amoretto told her. If Carter wasn't coming in, why didn't he text her? If he ever got sick, he _always_ texted her.

"But he didn't..." She trailed off.

"His mother called in today." Katie looked up. "I think he was sleeping because he's feeling so bad." She still stared. "Maybe food poisoning? I'm not sure, Katie. I just know he won't be in today."

After a moment, Katie looked down. "Right. Right. I'm sure he's just getting all the rest he needs."

"Yes, of course. Let's just hope he will be able to recover and come in tomorrow."

Katie took a few steps back. "Yes, of course. I'll just text him after school or something and see if he's okay."

She wasn't sure if she was just seeing things, but she could've sworn that Ms. Amoretto gulped.

"Yes, let's hope he is."

"Okay," Katie whispered. "Thanks, Ms. Amoretto."

"Of course, Katie. Do you need a late pass?"

She shook her head. "I'll be okay."

With that, Katie turned around and left the room. She looked to her right and left down the empty hallways. She wasn't sure why, even with the knowledge of Carter's mom calling in, she didn't feel the dread leave her. She pulled out her phone and began texting.

* * *

Carter hated the smell of Mikey's basement. He hated that he could barely breathe with this bag over his head. He hated the cloth that this bag was made of. He hated that he had to scratch his nose. He hated that his mother was probably freaking out. He hated that he didn't even to finish dinner, because he was starving. And he especially hated that they knocked his glasses off during this kidnap, because he could hear his glasses crunch beneath the weight of someone's foot, and he didn't have the money to get new ones. He hated everything about it.

His body froze when his phone got another text. Was it his mother again? Was it Johnny texting yet another death threat?

"Katie," Mikey said in Carter's darkness.

It was worse.

"Who the hell is Katie?"

He could hear him pick up the phone.

"Should I call Katie? Should I text her back and answer her question with, 'No, I'm not okay, Katie.'"

The thought of it made Carter struggle in his chair. He tried to free his hands, which were bound together behind him, and his ankles, which were tied against the legs of the chair.

"Ooo! A reaction. Is this a girl in your fancy ass school, Carter? The one that made you all better than us in the neighborhood?"

He could hear a chair be placed right in front of him. He could hear the slight squeak of Mikey sitting down.

"_Or_ should I tell her that you were responsible for putting a man in the hospital? Would she like hearing about that?"

"_No_," Carter spoke before he could stop himself. He hated how desperate he sounded. "Don't do that," he added, trying to show strength in his voice.

Mikey didn't answer when he stood up.

"What do you want, Mikey?" Carter whispered. He was feeling exhausted, and he didn't know how long he had been in the basement. It must have only been a few hours. But Carter's mind whirled whenever he thought about how long he might be down there. Or worse, what they were planning to do with him.

"I want you to _suffer_," Mikey hissed.

"Johnny will find you," he muttered. His head was hanging low now. "He'll find you, and I don't know what he's gonna do to you."

"Maybe he'll put me in a hospital bed next to my brother," Mikey said, a hint of sadistic amusement in his voice. "And maybe you'll be there with me."

* * *

Johnny looked up when Ray came rushing into the restaurant. He walked calmly past the customers, and then almost ran when Johnny opened the green velvet curtain leading to the back for both of them.

"You find anything out?" Johnny asked.

Ray nodded. "Yeah, yeah. There are these kids on the street, probably Carter's age, saying that Mikey, Manny's brother, was pissed, and, well..." Rap gulped. "Well, you know."

"Mikey? Wasn't he friends with Carter? Why would he...I mean, he wouldn't…"

"You telling me Carter wouldn't go after Mikey if anything were to happen to you?"

Silence passed between them.

"I mean, that's credible? Those kids?"

"Apparently Mikey doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut," Ray responded with a shrug.

"Find Joseph." Johnny pointed behind himself with his thumb.

Ray walked past him and then stopped. "Are we gonna go follow up leads?"

Johnny paused and then looked over his shoulder. "I'm coming with you."

Ray turned around. "Johnny, what you planning here? He's Carter's age. He just loves his brother and is looking for a little—"

"Revenge? You alright with the thought of Carter being revenge for what we did to Manny?" Ray gulped. "I didn't think so. Get Joseph. I'll be in the car."

"He's a kid, Johnny," Ray whispered.

Johnny faced forward. "Yeah, well, so is Carter."

* * *

By the end of the day, Katie ran through the halls when the last bell rang. She had a lesson immediately after school, but she didn't care that Grant had to wait, or that her mother would reprimand her. She didn't care that she didn't eat and just stared at her phone, waiting for Carter to text her with a response that she never did get.

She ran, pushing through the crowds, and threw the door open to Ms. Amoretto's classroom. She was struggling to catch her breath and find her voice as Ms. Amoretto stared at her, obviously concerned.

"Carter didn't text me back," she confessed. She walked towards her teacher. "He would tell me if he was sick and not coming in. And I can _feel_ something wrong." She dropped her bag, and it fell hard to the floor, stuffed with books.

Her teacher looked down, and Katie knew that the gulp she had seen earlier was real.

"Ms. Amoretto." She took a deep breath and shook her head a little. "_Where_ is Carter?"

* * *

**A/N: **Carter's situation still isn't okay yet, but I hope you guys like the POV from Katie and Johnny. **Please please let me know what you guys thought!** The new Words chapter should be up soon!** Leave some reviews &amp; feedback :)**

* * *

Shout out to **rippingbutterflywings, cfire27 **and **Guest! **Thank you for taking the time to check out this side story, I loved seeing what you guys had to say!

Shout out to **rippingbutterflywings** for being a wonderful beta &amp; just always being down to beta and support me with my (many) ongoing stories. Got love for ya MS Clary.

**cfire27:** Thank you for your review! I hope you like this chapter.

**Guest:** Sorry this chapter took so long to get up! But thank you so much for your review :) I hope you like this one and can't wait to see what you think.


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